System and method for providing calendar and speed dating features for matching users in a network environment

ABSTRACT

A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes receiving a request at a communication broker for a communication session to involve a first endpoint and a second endpoint, where the communication broker includes a processor and a memory element. The method may also include evaluating first calendar information for a first end user associated with the first endpoint and second calendar information for a second end user associated with the second endpoint. The method may also include reconciling the first calendar information with the second calendar information to provide a time slot for the communication session. Additionally, the method may include mapping first end user data to a first identity associated with the first end user, where the second endpoint is shown the first identity, and where the first end user data associated with the first endpoint is hidden from being shown to the second endpoint.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Application is a CONTINUATION-IN-PART of (and claims the benefit ofpriority under 35 U.S.C. §120) U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/415,839, entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING ANONYMITY IN ASESSION INITIATED PROTOCOL NETWORK, filed on Mar. 31, 2009 (AttorneyDocket No. 076533-0304), U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/436,912,entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING SEQUENCED ANONYMOUSCOMMUNICATION SESSIONS OVER A NETWORK, filed on May 7, 2009 (AttorneyDocket No. 076533-0306), and U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/436,869, entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING ANONYMITY IN AVIDEO/MULTIMEDIA COMMUNICATIONS SESSION OVER A NETWORK, filed on May 7,2009 (Attorney Docket No. 076533-0305) all of which are herebyincorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

This Application also contains subject matter related to U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. ______ , filed on Apr. 24, 2013, entitled “SYSTEMAND METHOD FOR PROVIDING CALENDAR AND SPEED DATING FEATURES FOR MATCHINGUSERS IN A NETWORK ENVIRONMENT”, naming inventor Michael G. Bustamente(Attorney Docket No. 076533-0308), the disclosure of which is consideredpart of and is incorporated by reference in the disclosure of thisapplication.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates in general to the field of communications and,more particularly, to a system and a method for providing calendar andspeed dating features for matching users in a network environment.

BACKGROUND

Communications network architectures have experienced significantnotoriety because they can offer the benefits of automation,convenience, and data management for their respective onlinecommunities. Certain network protocols may be used in order to allow anend user to be matched to other end users, or matched to scenarios inwhich they stand to benefit (e.g., job searches, person-findingservices, real estate searches, online dating, etc.).

In the case of an online dating service, for example, an end user willtypically be prompted to specify a variety of preferences to be used inmatching the end user with other end users. In some cases, end users maydesire to have their identity, address, or other personal informationkept anonymous when interacting in an online environment. The ability toschedule, control, initiate, and facilitate communication sessions witha plurality of end users, while maintaining each user's respectiveanonymity, offers a significant challenge to network operators,administrators, service providers, and device manufacturers alike.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To provide a more complete understanding of the present disclosure andfeatures and advantages thereof, reference is made to the followingdescription, taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures, whereinlike reference numerals represent like parts, in which:

FIG. 1 is a simplified network diagram showing an example operatingenvironment of a system for providing calendar and speed dating featuresin accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a simplified diagram illustrating an example portion of anetwork for providing anonymous communications in an online networkenvironment in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are simplified block diagrams illustrating a packetnetwork address translation example in accordance with one embodiment ofthe present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a simplified flow diagram illustrating an example methodologyof one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a simplified diagram illustrating an example end user calendarin accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a simplified diagram illustrating another example end usercalendar in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure;and

FIGS. 7-9 are simplified flow diagrams illustrating examplemethodologies for certain embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS Overview

A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes receiving arequest at a communication broker for a communication session to involvea first endpoint and a second endpoint. The method also includesevaluating (e.g., accessing, processing, identifying, etc.) firstcalendar information for a first end user associated with the firstendpoint and second calendar information for a second end userassociated with the second endpoint. The first calendar information isreflective of any type of date and/or time information relating toavailability, openness, etc. for the first end user.

The method also includes reconciling the first calendar information withthe second calendar information to provide a time slot for thecommunication session. The term “reconciling” in such a context includesany activity associated with identifying potential overlap in thecalendars, avoiding double booking and/or conflicts, identifying commonavailabilities etc. The method also includes mapping first end user datato a first identity associated with the first end user, wherein thesecond endpoint is shown the first identity, and where the first enduser data associated with the first endpoint is hidden from being shownto the second endpoint. The term “mapping” in such a context includesany activity associated with translating two differing formats,correlating different identities, coordinating two different datasets,or otherwise processing information fostered the communication session.

In more particular embodiment, the first identity is associated with auser name assigned by a fee-based matching service (e.g., a profile nameassociated with a service provider). The user name is shown to aplurality of end users in an online community associated with thefee-based matching service. For example, the fee-based matching servicecan include being billed by the minute, by the communication session,the video session, through a monthly flat rate, or any combination ofthe above (which may or may not involve revenue sharing with 3^(rd)party providers).

The first end user data to be hidden can include an e-mail addressassociated with the first end user; a phone number associated with thefirst end user; an Internet protocol (IP) address associated with thefirst end user; an endpoint identifier associated with the firstendpoint (e.g., indicating which type of device the endpoint is); alocation associated with the first end user (e.g., an address, GPStracking coordinates, Google Map data, etc.); a SIP address; anXMPP/Jabber address; an H.323 address; any unique voice or video IPidentifier (e.g., used in conjunction with a user agent), etc.

In other embodiments, the method can include mapping second end userdata to a second identity associated with the second end user, where thefirst endpoint is shown the second identity, and wherein the second enduser data associated with the second endpoint is hidden from being shownto the first endpoint. Additionally, other implementations of thepresent disclosure can include rendering a single aggregated calendar tothe first endpoint, where the aggregated calendar displays calendaravailability data associated with the first end user and the second enduser (e.g., concurrently).

The communication broker (which can be any suitable network element) canestablish a first network connection (wired or wireless) associated withthe first endpoint and a second network connection associated withsecond endpoint at the time slot. The actual communication session canbe a video session; a voice call; a Skype call; a voice over Internetprotocol (VoIP) call; a short messaging service (SMS) session; an email;or a texting session. In specific implementations, certain content inputby the first end user onto a first calendar associated with the firstend user is prohibited from being shown to other users belonging to anonline community to which the first end user is a part. The request canbe associated with a previous speed-dating event associated with anonline community that subscribes to a fee-based matching service.

The time slot can be designated for a particular time interval that iscorrelated to a bandwidth characteristic for the communication session(e.g., conducting a high bandwidth communication session (associatedwith video) at non-working hours, where bandwidth would be more readilyavailable). Business rules can be used in order to determine whether thecommunication session should be permitted between the first end user andthe second end user. At least one of the business rules involvesverifying whether the first end user and the second end user have paid acertain fee associated with a matching service. Additionally, at leastone of the business rules can verify whether a block has been placed oneither of the first end user or the second end user. The block can beassociated with prohibiting certain communications (e.g., the first enduser is prohibited from contacting the second end user, or moregenerally from contacting any user in the online community, or eitheruser has designated that certain forms of communication are notpermissible for them, etc.).

In yet other implementations, the communication broker can provide atleast one piece of software to the first endpoint to facilitate thecommunication session. This could involve an application beingdownloaded by the first endpoint (e.g., an application to be provided toany type of smartphone (i.e., a Google Droid, an i-Phone, etc.), ortablet computer (i.e., an iPad, a Microsoft Surface, a Google Nexus,etc.), or a software download/update to facilitate certain videosessions, etc.

EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a simplified network diagram illustrating an example operatingenvironment of a system 10 for providing calendar and speed datingfeatures in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. Ina particular implementation, system 10 may be used for facilitating anonline dating scenario in a network environment. In other matchingscenarios, system 10 can be leveraged to identify and to evaluatesuitable candidates in other areas (e.g., hiring/employment, recruiting,real estate, general person searches, etc.).

FIG. 1 includes multiple end users 12 and endpoints 13, a communicationsnetwork 14, a web server 16 (comprising a memory 18 and a processor 20),a website 22, and a database 24. Database 24 may be any type ofcomponent for storing data, including but not limited to repositories,databases, memory devices, mass storage devices, data centers, etc. Insystem 10, users 12 can interact with web server 16 via endpoints 13,each of which can include an appropriate user interface for interactingwith web server 16 to facilitate the functions and features describedherein. In certain example implementations, website 22 and web server 16are consolidated into a single component, physical structure, equipment,etc. Alternatively, these elements are separated as individualcomponents that may share certain responsibilities, or that may beprovisioned across several networks.

FIG. 1 may be configured such that inter and intra-communications arereadily achieved by any of the components included therein. The presentdisclosure is capable of providing both an online component (asillustrated in FIG. 1) and an off-line component such that one or moreend users can meet, gather information, conduct telephone calls, conductvideo sessions, text each other, exchange any type of wirelesscommunications, play games together, resolve to meet, meet in person,etc. Ancillary components to such a comprehensive process may involvepre-date profiles, post-date follow-ups, and a myriad of other features,some of which are outlined in detail below.

End users 12 may include various types of end users, such as clients,customers, prospective customers, entities wishing to participate in anonline matching scenario and/or to view information associated withother participants in an online system. End users 12 may also seek toaccess end user profiles, or to initiate communications with other endusers that may be delivered via communications network 14. End users 12may review data (such as user profiles, for example) associated withother users in order to make matching decisions or selections. Data, asused herein in this document, refers to any type of numeric, voice,video, or script data, or any other suitable information in anyappropriate format that may be communicated from one point to another.

End users 12 may access the aforementioned data via endpoints 13, whichmay be inclusive of devices used to initiate a communication, such as acomputer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a laptop or electronicnotebook, a smartphone of any kind, a cellular telephone, an InternetProtocol (IP) telephone, an iPhone, an iPad, a Microsoft Surface, aGoogle Nexus, or any other device, component, element, or object capableof initiating voice, audio, or data exchanges within system 10. In aparticular embodiment, endpoints 13 may download an application (fromany suitable source, for example, iTunes, Google Droid Marketplace,etc.) that facilitates the online matching, speed dating, and/orcalendar functions discussed herein.

Endpoints 13 may also be inclusive of a suitable interface to the enduser 12, such as a microphone, a display, a speaker, or a keyboard orother terminal equipment. Endpoints 13 may also include any device thatseeks to initiate a communication on behalf of another entity orelement, such as a program, a database, or any other component, device,element, or object capable of initiating a voice or a data exchangewithin system 10. In addition, each of endpoints 13 may be a uniqueelement designed specifically for communications involving system 10.Such an element may be fabricated or produced specifically for matchingapplications involving end user 12.

End user 12 may employ any device capable of operating as an endpoint toconnect to communications network 14 via wire, wireless technology(e.g., WiFi, 802.11), cellular technology, satellite link, or othersuitable frameworks. In a particular example, web server 16 can hostwebsite 22 and can be configured for transmitting and receiving anysuitable information (e.g., user profile data, user and/or user endpointdata, user contact data, presence data, etc.). Presence data may becollected, aggregated, and utilized as appropriate to facilitatecommunications between endpoints 13 over communications network 14, orother outside communication systems. Presence data may also includeinformation and/or instructions enabling the creation, duration, andtermination of communication sessions between diverse endpoints 13 thatutilize different communication and/or networking protocols.

Communications network 14 is a communicative platform operable toexchange data or information emanating from endpoints 13. In aparticular embodiment, communications network 14 represents an Internetarchitecture that provides end users 12 with the ability toelectronically execute or to initiate actions associated with finding apotential match with another user. Alternatively, communications network14 could be a plain old telephone system (POTS), which end user 12 coulduse to perform the same operations or functions. Such transactions maybe assisted by management associated with website 22 or manually keyedinto a telephone or other suitable electronic equipment. In otherembodiments, communications network 14 could be any packet data network(PDN) offering a communications interface or exchange between any twonodes in system 10. Communications network 14 may alternatively be anylocal area network (LAN), metropolitan area network (MAN), wide areanetwork (WAN), wireless local area network (WLAN), virtual privatenetwork (VPN), intranet, or any other appropriate architecture or systemthat facilitates communications in a network or telephonic environment.

In one embodiment, web server 16 comprises a server that is operable toreceive and to communicate information to end users 12. Alternatively,web server 16 may be any switch, router, gateway, processor, component,object, or element operable to facilitate communications involving enduser 12. In one particular embodiment, web server 16 is configured tofacilitate interaction(s) between parties interested in seeking aromantic partner (i.e., online dating). For example, website 22 can beonline dating service provider www.Match.com, www.Chemistry.com, or anyother suitable service provider. In certain example scenarios, a givenend user may pay a fee for a subscription-based service. Additionally,certain end user fee structures may apply to different tiers of service:some of which may entitle an end user to enhanced features on website 22(e.g., the ability to communicate more frequently with other users,additional matches being provided (potentially, more frequently) to anend user who paid the higher fee structure, the ability to store and/orpresent a larger volume of data to other users (e.g., videos in theprofile), the ability to share data, the ability to upload additionalinformation, the ability to target specific searches based on particularcriteria, the ability to receive preferential positioning in the contextof being matched to other users, the ability to participate in speeddating, the ability to participate in certain events sponsored bywebsite 22, the ability to share calendar data with other users, theability to perform video calls (e.g., Skype, etc.) with other users, theability to perform audio calls with other users, etc.).

In other embodiments, website 22 is any website or architecture providedfor facilitating a connection involving two or more people, and whichmay make use of a given profile, photograph, resume, articledescription, etc. This could include services associated with jobplacements, escort services, auction services, social media, real estatelistings, recruiting services (e.g., in athletics, academia, employmentscenarios, instances involving the sales of goods and services), eBay,Craigslist, Half.com, Amazon, etc.

Considerable flexibility is provided by the structure and arrangement ofweb server 16 and website 22 in the context of system 10. Thus, it canbe easily appreciated that their functions could be shared, dividedappropriately, or provided external to web server 16 or website 22. Insuch cases, the speed dating and/or calendar functions could be readilyprovided by a separate component, server, processor, device, or module.Note that these online dating features and capabilities may be providedin just one of the elements of FIG. 1, or distributed across several ofthem and/or others.

In operation of an example embodiment, consider a case where a given enduser is interested in participating in an online dating scenario. Enduser 12 can access website 22 via communications network 14 usingendpoint 13. Once the connection is established, the end user canregister and create a profile on the site. Moreover, the end user canaccess website 22 through any suitable banner, pop-up, partnership,e-mail solicitations, direct mailings, etc. Along similar lines, anynumber of marketing tools may be employed in order to facilitate thespeed dating activities and/or the calendar features discussed herein.For example, as an end user initially signs up for a membership, theycould be provided with a free trial of online speed dating for a certaintime period. Additionally, prolonged time on a particular site could beacknowledged by providing calendar functions and/or speed datingopportunities (e.g., gratis).

Once users are registered, matching of any form can commence amongst themembers of the online community. For example, in the context of aromantic endeavor, a person may begin the dating process or engage incommunications that would spawn such dating. Other applications couldinclude job applicants who are being sought by employers. Any of theindividuals who reside in the online community can begin using any ofthe tools or capabilities of the platform.

It should be noted that any participant interactions discussed hereincould take any suitable form. For example, the interactions can befacilitated by website 22 (e.g., through an e-mail platform, through aVoIP technology, through a session initiation protocol (SIP), throughinstant messaging, through any type of mobile communications (inclusiveof texting), etc.). Additionally, interactions can be performed throughany suitable third-party technology (e.g., interactions involvingFacebook framework, a Twitter account, a Tumblr account, etc.). Some ofthese interactions can be facilitated by website 22 (e.g., provided assome sort of service as part of a subscription model), provided by anexternal third-party protocol, or provided in conjunction with some typeof partnership involving website 22 and the external third-partyprotocol.

Website 22 can be configured to interface with endpoints 13 and database24, and may also display data inputs from users via endpoints 13 and/ordatabase 24. In one example, software that resides in web server 16(which may also be provisioned at website 22) can be executed byprocessor 20 (potentially in conjunction with memory 18) to achieve thecommunication coordination, speed dating, and/or calendaring functions,while protecting end user anonymity as outlined herein. Such activitycould also be developed externally and then uploaded to web server 16(i.e., website 22). In one embodiment, web server 16 is configured as an“internet facing” server. Alternatively, web server 16 is configured tosearch hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) traffic on a particular port(e.g., port 80, although any IP port including port 80 could besimilarly utilized).

For purposes of teaching and discussion, it is useful to provide someoverview as to the way in which the architectures disclosed herein couldoperate in various communication environments. The following informationmay be viewed as a basis from which the present disclosure may beproperly explained. Such a discussion is for purposes of explanationonly and, accordingly, should not be construed in any way to limit thebroad scope of the disclosure disclosed herein and its potentialapplications.

Certain applications may require the creation and management of acommunication session, where a session is considered to be any exchangeof data between several participants. The implementation of theseapplications is complicated by the practices of participants: users movebetween endpoints, they may be addressable by multiple names, and theymay communicate in several different media (in many casessimultaneously). Certain protocols, such a session initiation protocol(SIP), voice over IP (VoIP), real time messaging protocol (RTMP), andH.323, have been developed to carry various forms of real-timemultimedia communication session data such as voice, video, text, andmultimedia messages. Any of these protocols could readily be used inconjunction with the teachings of the present disclosure.

Focusing on one of these possible protocols for use with the presentdisclosure, SIP is an application layer, control protocol that is usedto establish, modify, and terminate multimedia sessions, voice calls,video calls, etc. SIP can also invite participants to already existingsessions such as multicast conferences. Media can be added to (andremoved from) an existing session. SIP transparently supports namemapping and redirection services, which supports personal mobility. Endusers can maintain a single externally visible identifier regardless oftheir network location.

SIP provides proxy-able messages used to perform call setup,modification, and termination functions. For example, one SIP messageused to perform call setup functions is the INVITE message. The INVITEmessage is used to invite telephony devices to participate in mediastream communications, such as voice communication, data communication,video communication, or any combination thereof. The INVITE messageincludes a session description protocol (SDP) portion that is used byend user devices to exchange media capabilities and other information.As unified networks emerge, it is becoming increasingly important toprovide communication services seamlessly across SIP based packetnetworks to provide anonymous communications within these unifiednetworks.

Certain SIP features can work in concert with various protocols toenable endpoints 13 (which may also be referred to as “user agents”) todiscover one another and, further, to agree on a characterization of asession they wish to share. For locating prospective sessionparticipants, and for other functions, SIP can enable the creation of aninfrastructure of network hosts (which may also be referred to as “proxyservers”) to which user agents can send registrations, invitations tosessions, and other requests. SIP is an agile, general-purpose tool forcreating, modifying, and terminating sessions. SIP can workindependently of underlying transport protocols and without dependencyon the type of session that is being established.

SIP can support five facets of establishing and terminating multimediacommunications: 1) user location: determination of the end system to beused for communication; 2) user availability: determination of thewillingness of the called party to engage in communications; 3) usercapabilities: determination of the media and media parameters to beused; 4) session setup: “ringing” establishment of session parameters atboth the called and calling party locations; and 5) session management:including transfer and termination of sessions, modifying sessionparameters, and invoking services.

A standard SIP platform does not necessarily provide services. Rather,SIP provides primitives that can be used to implement differentservices. For example, SIP can locate a user and deliver opaque objectsto his current location. If this primitive is used to deliver a sessiondescription written in SDP, for instance, the endpoints can agree on theparameters of a session. If the same primitive is used to deliver aphoto of the caller as well as the session description, a “caller id”service can be easily implemented.

In some online social networks (Facebook, MySpace, Match.com, Twitter,Tumblr, etc.), end users desire that a user's identity, address,telephone number or other personal information remain anonymous so thatother users on the network may not physically, electronically, orotherwise locate a user or utilize a user's contact information.Likewise, end users desire the ability to schedule communicationsessions at periods convenient for them and to avoid communicationsessions at inconvenient times or dates (e.g., calls after 11 PM orsession requests at 2 AM). Thus, the ability to initiate a communicationsession (e.g., text messaging sessions, multimedia sessions, videosessions, voice call sessions, etc.) between two end users, without theexchange of personal contact information (and at periods convenient foreach user in the context of a social networking network) is criticalfrom various perspectives that can account for privacy issues, personalsafety, identity theft/fraud prevention, personal convenience, enhanceduser experiences, etc.

From the perspective of an administrator, the ability to enablecommunication sessions between end users based on various metricsenables efficient, safe and profitable administration of the networksystem. In an online social network for example, administrators mayenable communication sessions between end users based on privilegesgranted to end users who subscribe to various membership levels offeredby the online network, based on pay per session fee structures, based onpay per media models, or any other metrics applicable to operation ofthe network.

FIG. 2 depicts the components of a communications network 30 forproviding user anonymity and for enabling communication sessions betweenend users. The network utilizes a source SIP server 32, a communicationbroker 34, a database 36, a destination SIP server 38, a source SIPendpoint 40, and a destination SIP endpoint 42. In an example flow, afirst user desires to engage in a video session with a second user inany social networking scenario. Joe's personal contact information,which may include his internet protocol SIP address (e.g.,Joe@gizmo.com), is not displayed publicly on the site, but a “profilename” is used [e.g., ProfileA@match.com]. Likewise, Sally's personalcontact information, which may include her SIP address(sally@gtalk.com), is not displayed publicly on the site and her profilename is used (e.g., ProfileZ@match.com).

In one embodiment, the first user (e.g., Sally) seeks to have a voicedate with a second user (e.g., Joe), whose personal profile she hasreviewed on a social networking site, such as Match.com. Sally and Joeboth indicate (e.g., to communication broker 34) that they are willingto participate in a voice date. This indication can be signaled throughany appropriate means, mechanism, soft button, etc. (e.g., by selectinga phone icon being rendered by website 22). The indication can alert thesystem of each user's preferences and, further, trigger activities forcommunication broker 34 to access and reconcile each end user's calendarwith the other. Communication broker 34 then performs operations suchthat Sally and Joe can view each other's profile calendars. Thisprovides an opportunity for these users to indicate their respectiveavailability for engaging in a voice date at a mutually convenient dateand time.

In one embodiment, a view of a single aggregated calendar is displayedto both Sally and Joe: showing the mutually available dates and timesfor Sally and Joe to schedule a voice date (as was reconciled bycommunication broker 34). At the same time, neither of these users arepermitted to see personalized information associated with specificcalendar entries, as further detailed below.

By default, each user's time in the calendar can be shown asunavailable. When a user views his or her calendar, they are presentedwith options to define dates and times when they are available for acommunication session in the calendar itself, which enables them to seeupcoming events and details related thereto. The calendars of Joe andSally are reconciled by communication broker 34 and configured to showthe dates and times that are available for both Sally and Joe to engagein a communication session. This allows Sally to select a time toinitiate a communication session with Joe, without the need for Sally toengage Joe directly to schedule a date and time for the communicationsession. Once a mutually acceptable time and date are shown to Sally andJoe via the calendar, either user may initiate a communication sessionby selecting a date and time from the calendar. For example, in thisscenario, Sally can decide to be the initiator and select an availabletime and date. Communication broker 34 then sends a message (e.g.,email, voicemail, text message, etc.) to Joe to confirm thecommunication session date.

To initiate the voice date process, the first user can use any suitableendpoint (e.g., a cell phone, a smartphone, a personal computer, etc.)to initiate a communication session with a second user, who similarlyutilizes any suitable endpoint. If the technology being employed wereSIP, then source SIP endpoint 40 sends a service availability request tosource SIP server 32. SIP server 32 responds by initiating a sessioninvitation to communication broker 34. In cases where SIP is not used,the mapping functions can be provided using any suitable technology thatcan achieve the same anonymity. This could involve certain tables thatcan be accessed to map one identity to another identity. This could alsoinvolve proprietary protocols that perform these activities. Networkaddress translation (NAT) activities could also be used, where oneidentity is systematically being mapped to a second identity to protectthe anonymity of the users (e.g., hiding their true e-mail address,etc.).

Communication broker 34 accesses database 36, which can include presencedata, personal contact data, profile data, and/or calendar data for boththe first and second users. The personal contact information andcalendar information may include data that has been input by the endusers (e.g., time and dates for communication sessions), or that may beinternally input and regulated by the administrator, or data resultingfrom systematic polling of profile information, presence data, etc. Forexample, Joe may input data indicating that he only receives voice datecalls between 7 PM and 10 PM on Fridays, while Sally may input calendardata indicating that she only participates in voice date calls between 6PM and 9 PM on every other Friday of the month.

Communication broker 34 reconciles the communication calendar data anddetermines if Sally and Joe may participate in a voice datecommunication session at a specific date and time. In this example,communication broker 34 resolves that, as between Sally and Joe, a voicedate session may be initiated between the hours of 7 PM and 9 PM onFriday. Database 36 and/or communication broker 34 may then offer thedestination contact information for the call set-up process performed bycommunication broker 34. Additional information may also be provided bythe end user and/or the administrator related to the calendaring ofcommunication sessions based on various metrics, including but notlimited to, date, time, duration of the communication session, topicsfor discussion, call back or ring back preferences, type ofcommunication session, network membership/access privileges, or anycombination thereof. For example, administrators may provide date andtime limitations related to end user membership privileges orpay-to-communicate protocols (e.g., $XX.XX per call at certain dates andtimes, per unit of time, or per type of communication session (e.g.,voice, video, etc.)). Such calendar activities may also be formulated totake advantage of network bandwidth availability at various times of theday or night (e.g., video calls that consume higher bandwidth may bescheduled at non-working hours, whereas simple voice calls could berelegated to daylight times).

Hence, one aspect of the present disclosure involves an intelligentcommunication broker 34 that can retain control over real-timecommunications. It can effectively perform this function by playing“man-in-the-middle” to maintain user anonymity. The broker is agnosticto the communication (or Internet) protocols it is managing.Additionally, the calendar and speed dating features can apply to anyreal-time anonymous communication (e.g., voice, video, instantmessaging, etc.). Communication broker 34 is configured for mappingidentities that can be seen as proxies or tokens for the actualidentities of end users. Communication broker 34 can retrievecorrelating information (between mapped identities and real identities)and this can be used as the mechanism for maintaining anonymity. In onegeneric sense, these activities reflect a permission to have aconversation that is coordinated, orchestrated, and regulated through acentral communication broker.

Consider another example involving Match.com's double-blind emailsystems. When a user navigates to a website (e.g., www.Match.com), viewsa profile associated with the user ID Dallas_Girl, and determines tocontact her through e-mail, an e-mail can be sent to her through theMatch system (to the e-mail address Dallas_Girl@match.com). Emailservers can process the email and perform a database look-up to verifyif the sending subscriber is allowed to send email, verify ifDallas_Girl is a paying subscriber, verify whether any blocks have beeninitiated by either of those subscribers (or by the system), etc.

Dallas_Girl is a mapped identity of her real email addresssuzy_wilson@comcast.net. The email servers take the original email,strip off the mapped header address information (for DallasGirl@match.com, for example, at the TCP/IP level), and replace it withnon-mapped information, suzy_wilson@comcast.net, to reach the truedestination. In this sense, communication broker 34 is performing theman-in-the-middle paradigm, while protecting the true user identities.The email servers (or communication broker 34) can have specificbusiness function-based code to control whether an action is allowed,while maintaining anonymity for subscribing customers. It would not bepossible to simply email Dallas_Girl@match.com and retrieve asubscriber's real email address.

Hence, communication broker 34 can provide the anonymous voice and videoequivalent of this double-blind paradigm. In operation, communicationbroker 34 can provide anonymous communication by using mapped identitiesand by transforming data packets in two directions for controllingsubscriber communication. This could occur, for example, while complyingwith any existing and standard protocols. Such a scenario can enhancecommunications between users seeking to advance their relationshipsthrough some type of online service.

Consider an example that is illustrative of the heightened intimacy thatcan be achieved in the context of the present disclosure. A subscribercan spend an hour carefully crafting an extensive e-mail and project apersona different from who they truly are. This issue can be significantfor online communities. If the interaction is moved to a voice call,this heightened intimacy adds value through certain real-time verbalcommunications (e.g., inflection, intonation, pauses, etc.), along withcertain non-verbal cues, which would not otherwise be discerned througha benign e-mail. A voice call can allow an end user to converse withsomeone and gather clues about their education, intelligence,background, social skills, etc.: information that is difficult to gatherover a random e-mail exchange.

In the case of video calls, the non-verbal context moves higher withmannerisms, physical appearance, body language, etc. This scenario canbe extended to virtual dates for end users (e.g., in an on-line datingscenario). Each level of heightened communication can effectively revealmore information about the users. In a generic sense, there is atruthfulness or an authenticity factor being addressed by communicationbroker 34. Individual subscribers can project a persona that is in factquite different from their true character. Business problems arise foronline providers when mismatches and fraud occur. Hence, individualsthat leverage communication broker 34 to conduct video calls or voicecalls can quickly become more intimate, more familiar, or simply gathermore information about their respective counterparty.

The same could be said of using communication broker 34 for jobsearches, as the architecture presented herein can be used to identifyhighly-qualified individuals before embarking on a formal interviewprocess. A brief anonymous voice call or video conference could avoidwasting the time and expense in interviewing someone in person, whosimply would never satisfy the job criteria.

Lastly, the concepts presented herein can be used to practice certainskills in educational environments, while potentially offering variouslevels of anonymity (e.g., speech classes in colleges and universities,speaking/presentation classes for professionals, systematicallyinterviewing with prospective employers, etc.). The architectureprovided herein can provide a safe place to further developcommunication skills, while auguring toward a heightened skill level, anideal relationship, a targeted job, etc. This could involve the use ofcertain profiles, which could include any suitable information about agiven user.

In one particular implementation, a calendar system can be employed toprovide boundaries about when it would be appropriate for both partiesto have an anonymous conversation (e.g., a voice interaction).Additionally, it can be used it to extend business rules tocommunication broker 34. For example, the business rules can verifywhether a particular user is at the correct subscription level forconducting certain types of communications (e.g., e-mail, texting,video, voice, etc.). Other business rules can verify whether any type ofblocking is occurring between users (or by the system). In otherinstances, a certain amount of quota can be allotted to each of theusers to use for their communication sessions. For example, a certainsubscription level would entitle the user to two hours of voice callsper month, or one hour of video calls per month. In this sense, ametering activity can be performed by communication broker 34, as usersconduct their communications and have their accounts debited accordingly(i.e., a fee-based structure for quota). In other scenarios, website 22can be involved in some type of pre-approval process before users areformally connected through either a video call, a voice call, a textexchange, etc. In one particular example, an initial preapproval processoccurs between users connecting a first time, whereas subsequentcommunications would not employ this preapproval protocol.

Communication broker 34 can maintain any suitable business rules tocontrol the functions of the communications involving users. This isespecially important for voice dating or video dating; otherwise, thephones, video cameras, video conferencing equipment, etc. could beinitiated at unexpected (potentially unwanted) times (e.g., a phoneringing at 3 AM, video equipment being activated at various inopportunetimes, etc.).

In another example scenario, speed dating can be performed bycommunication broker 34. In one example scenario, communication broker34 could be used to initiate the calls at predetermined times (e.g.,mimicking an online speed dating service). In operation of one potentialflow, a subscriber would not necessarily contact other subscribers forthe speed dating. Instead, website 22 could run the speed datingoperations/events, or communication broker 34 could perform thesefunctions and call the endpoints individually.

In the case of speed dating, men and/or women can be rotated to meeteach other over a series of short “dates” (e.g., usually lasting from 3to 8 minutes depending on the particular event being offered by website22). Anonymity can be protected during the initial speed dating event inorder to reduce pressure to accept or reject a potential suitor.Additionally, anonymity can be provided in order for users to focus onthe substance of each of the users (e.g., if the actual identities wererevealed, simple Google searching could provide significant informationto others participating in the online speed dating event).

At the end of each interval, communication broker 34 can send an alert(e.g., clinks a glass icon on the website, provides an audible sound,etc.) to signal the participants to move on to the next date. At the endof the event, participants can submit any suitable feedback about theirexperience (e.g., to the participants themselves, to website 22 in theform of a list of participants of interest to them, etc.).Alternatively, this information can simply be signaled through variousicons of the user profiles for the subscribers. For example, a certainsubscriber can simply ‘like’, ‘wink’, ‘add to queue’, etc. individualsthey found interesting during the speed dating session. From theperspective of the counterparty, if there is a match, any subsequentoperations can occur. For example, where a symbiotic match has occurred,contact information can be forwarded to both parties, invitations can besent for a video call, invitations can be sent for a physical meeting,etc.

In certain cases, such speed dating events could require advancedregistration, a heightened subscription payment, etc. Additionally,communication broker 34 may use its business rules in order to suitablybalance the participants involved in the session. For example, certainfees may be waived for particular individuals to balance the genderratio, to enhance compatibility chances, etc.

Turning to FIGS. 3A-3B, FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate one example callset-up process (of many possible processes) that results in the removalof personal contact information exchanged between a first and a seconduser. This process enables the anonymous exchange of communicationsbetween users. FIG. 3A depicts a packet 50, which can be received bycommunication broker 34 from source SIP server 32. Packet 50 containsaddress information from a first user [(Sally) with a personal contactaddress (sally@gtalk.com)] that is requesting a call set-up with asecond user (Joe), who has a profile contact address(profileA@match.com). As discussed above, communication broker 34accesses database 36 and retrieves information for translating (i.e., a“mapping”), and thereby rendering anonymous, the profile name(s),profile contact address, and personal contact information of each user.Communication broker 34 prepares packet 52, as shown in FIG. 3B, withinformation showing the destination personal contact address of thesecond user (e.g., joe@gizmo.com) from a first user profile address(profilenameZ@match.com), in this example, Sally's profile contactaddress. By translating the personal contact information and profilenames of the first and second users, communication broker 34 effectivelyprevents both the first and second users from transmitting or receivingany personal contact information during call initiation, call session,and call teardown.

Communication broker 34 next transmits a communication session callinvitation message addressed to a second user (joe@gizmo.com) from afirst user (profileZ@match.com) to destination SIP server 38.Destination SIP server 38 sends a service availability request todestination SIP endpoint 42 (e.g., Joe's cell phone, Smartphone,personal computer), which if available and accepted by Joe, initiates acommunication session call set-up invitation back to Sally at SIPendpoint 40 (via communication broker 34). A communication session isthen initiated between the users (e.g., Sally and Joe exchanging data atlink 44) via their respective endpoints 40, 42, without the exchange ofpersonal contact information. As a result, the end users may participatein audio dates, video dates, etc. at times that are convenient for bothparties, while maintaining end user anonymity during the communicationsession.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram 60 illustrating example operations associatedwith the present disclosure. As previously described, a first user orsource initiates a communication session request from a SIP endpointthat is addressed to a second user or recipient (62) with a profileaddress. The communication session request is transmitted by a sourceSIP server and received by a communication broker (64). Communicationbroker 34 accesses a database to verify and to retrieve the profileinformation and calendar data for the first and second users associatedwith the source and recipient address information in the call request(66). Communication broker 34 reconciles the calendar data, and thendisplays an aggregate calendar to each end user showing dates and timesthat each end user is available for a communication session request(68).

If communication broker 34 determines that the communication sessionrequest does not fall within the acceptable reconciled communicationsession calendar, communication broker 34 denies the communicationsession request and the communication setup is terminated. Ifcommunication broker 34 determines that the communication request fallswithin an acceptable calendar boundary for the end user(s),communication broker 34 translates or “maps” the source and recipientaddresses from the information retrieved from a database (e.g.,automatically, at the instruction of the end user to do so (70), etc.).Communication broker 34 transmits the translated communication requestto the recipient originating from the source profile address (72), withthe translated call request being received by the recipient SIP endpointfrom the recipient SIP server (74). The call recipient could then decidewhether to accept or deny the communication request (76). If therecipient accepts the request, a communication session (e.g., telephonecall, video session, etc.) is initiated between the SIP endpoints (78).The session can remain active until terminated by the user(s) (80).However, if the recipient denies the request for a communication sessionfrom the source, the session is terminated by communication broker 34.

FIG. 5 illustrates calendar information being displayed to an end user,as discussed herein. This particular example involves Joe, whereas FIG.6 illustrates both Sally's and Joe's calendar availability. Simple icons(soft buttons) can be used by a given user to add, change, or deletetheir respective availabilities. In one embodiment, once permissions areexchanged (and business rules satisfied), each user's calendar can beshown to the other interested user. One such rendering involvessuperimposing (aggregating) one user's calendar onto another user'scalendar. This could involve certain color schemes to better highlightinformation (e.g., blue calendar availabilities for men, pink calendaravailabilities for women, colors selected by end users, etc.). In aparticular example, the ability to view the calendar is part of a largerprogression of interactions involving Joe and Sally. For example, thisrelationship could have originated with a simple wink messagepropagating through website 22, from a speed dating session, from amatch being provided in one of the parties to queues (on their profile),from searching activities initiated by one of the users, etc.

Once the business rules have been satisfied, User 1 can see their ownpersonal calendar with its various scheduled appointments or “dates”,while viewing another user's calendar (User 2's calendar). In thisexample, Joe is capable of viewing dates and times that User 2 isavailable to participate in a communication session with him. In certainexample embodiments, Joe (User 1) is not allowed to view the completecontents of User 2's calendar, only the potential timeslots availablefor communicating, for potential dating, etc. This helps to maintainprivacy for each of the users.

FIG. 6 illustrates an aggregate calendar being displayed for aparticular user. The aggregate calendar provides end users with acalendar that shows mutually available dates and times for acommunication session between several end users. Communication broker 34reconciles the calendars of multiple users and, further, renders anaggregate calendar for the end users, where the aggregate calendar showsthose dates and times that each user would be available for some type ofcommunication session (e.g., a video call, a voice call, a textingexchange, etc.). This allows each participating end user tosimultaneously view the available dates and times for communicationsessions with specified end users.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating an example operation associatedwith one embodiment of the online calendar feature disclosed herein.This particular feature may be provided in communication broker 34, orprovisioned in any other suitable location. The flow may begin as User 1decides to view the profile of User 2 and, subsequently, initiates acommunication session (90). Each end user can be verified as a member ofthe online social network (91) (e.g., www.match.com, www.facebook.com,etc.). This verification may include membership status, subscriptioninformation, login credentials, and/or privileges (e.g., whether thatuser may engage in various types of communication sessions with otherusers, such as text, email, voice sessions, video sessions, etc.). Onceverified, communication broker 34 analyzes the calendars of User 1 andUser 2 and reconciles the dates and times User 1 and User 2 areavailable for a communication session. Various types of communicationsessions could be reconciled and displayed for each user based on datesand times for different types of communication sessions.

The aggregate calendar can then be displayed to the initiating user(User 1) showing the dates and times that each are available for aparticular type of communication session (92). User 1 selects a date anda time for a communication session with User 2 (93). Communicationbroker 34 sends a notification to User 2 for a communication session(94). Notifications could be provided via email, instant messaging, textmessaging, phone calls, push notifications, alerts populated in aprofile associated with a website, an AJAX update (or any otherapplicable communication protocol), etc. User 2 can receive thenotification, potentially along with the associated relevant profileinformation for the initiating user (User 1), and may then either acceptor deny the invitation (95). If User 2 declines the invitation, nocommunication session is scheduled between User 1 and User 2. If theinvitation is accepted, communication broker 34 allows the communicationsession between User 1 and User 2 at the specified date and time (96).At the time of the mutually accepted communication session, either usercould initiate the session, or the session could be provisioned bycommunication broker 34 (97), or the users could dial into a suitablecommunications platform.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram illustrating an example operation associatedwith the online speed dating activities disclosed herein. The system(e.g., communication broker 34) defines possible participants forattending an online speed dating communication session event (100). Thisscreening of participants may include, but is not limited to, membershipstatus, calendar availability, geographic location, personal interest,compatibility algorithms, and/or membership privilege levels for aparticular service. Each end user can be verified as a member of theparticular online social network (101). This verification may includemembership status, calendar availability (e.g., avoiding doublebooking), membership privilege levels for the calendar service, or anyother information discussed herein.

After identifying the applicable number of participants needed tofacilitate an online speed dating communication session, communicationbroker 34 sends notifications to participate in the speed datingcommunication session event (e.g., to pre-verified participants (102)).Each pre-verified user receives notification and associated speed datingsession information for the specified event, and they may then eitheraccept or deny the invitation (103). Alternatively, website 22 canemploy the use of advertisements, sign-up sheets, etc. in organizingsuch an event.

If a user declines the invitation, no communication session would bescheduled for that specific user. If the invitation is accepted,communication broker 34 can mark the calendar of the participant withthe event (e.g., at the specified date and time) (104). Communicationbroker 34 can facilitate any system updates required to allowparticipants to attend the speed dating communication session (105). Forexample, certain audio software, video software, codecs, etc. can beinstalled, downloaded, or otherwise provisioned such that suitablecommunications can occur during the event. At the time of the speeddating communication session, users could initiate the session bydialing into a phone number, sending presence updates via SIP, XMPP,etc., or the session could also be initiated by communication broker 34(106). Alternatively, communication broker 34 can organize an eventthrough the use of presence data for SIP, XMPP, or similar presenceservices.

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram illustrating certain capabilities ofcommunication broker 34, as applied to an online speed dating calendarevent, as discussed herein. At any suitable predefined time intervalbefore the start of the online speed dating event (e.g., 10 minutes),communication broker 34 can begin polling SIP/XMPP presence data tocheck the availability of each predefined participant's availability tostart the event (110). After the polling is completed, communicationbroker 34 can begin establishing communication sessions with eachparticipant (111). Participants that successfully establish sessionswith communication broker 34 are placed into a queue with feedback thatinforms them they are approved for communication, and are waiting forthe speed dating event to start (112). This queue with feedback could beconsidered equivalent to a hold recording, hold music, etc. In certainexample scenarios, the user may also be provided with the opportunity toplay various online games (e.g., an online game lounge) with otherusers.

Any unsuccessful session connections (or participants who did notrespond to the initial presence data polling) can be placed into a retryqueue. After some configurable wait period (e.g., 5 minutes), thosepreviously failed participants are polled and communication sessions areretried. If the retry is successful, the participants are put in thehold queue as described above and, if still unavailable, they are deniedentry to the event (113). A possible embodiment of the speed datingevent can include defining an equal (or balanced/optimal) number ofprospective participants (e.g., five men and five women, three employersand ten potential employees, etc.). In addition, the system could alsodefine several overflow pool participants, who could be added to attendthe online speed dating event as alternates (e.g., if the originallyscheduled participants suddenly become unavailable for the communicationsession). These possible embodiments can involve an actual administratorinterface (e.g., software, an administrative system, etc.) that has sometype of authoritative presence in the model for designating rules, forbalancing, or for changing the event in any appropriate way.

Communication broker 34 could poll presence data and begin establishingcommunication sessions for the alternates until an appropriate number ofmatching participants have been attained (114).

Once the event is filled with participants, communication broker 34performs any appropriate updates for the participants (i.e., theendpoints) to facilitate the establishment of user-to-user sessionmappings for the speed dating event (115). User session mappings couldbe described as the collective one-on-one sessions for each participantto have a communication session with each of their prospective datingcandidates. This can take place in a round-robin fashion (or using anyother appropriate protocol), where each participant would communicatewith each candidate for a predefined, structured communication period.Communication broker 34 can create, monitor, and destroy theseone-on-one communication sessions, while maintaining at least oneconnection (e.g., a communication broker-to-participant session) toremain the facilitator of the event (116).

It is imperative to note that although the present disclosure has beendescribed in detail with reference to particular embodiments, it shouldbe understood that various other changes, substitutions, and alterationsmay be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of thepresent disclosure. For example, although the present disclosure hasbeen described with reference to a SIP feature, it is critical to notethat the present disclosure is not limited to such a SIP feature.Countless other protocols could be readily employed without departingfrom the teachings of the present disclosure. Moreover the usage ofpresence data reflects just one potential feature of the presentdisclosure. Such a feature could readily be removed, replaced, orotherwise substituted by other features. For example, simple softwarethat pings or polls Microsoft Outlook data could easily be used inconjunction with determining the availability of end users (e.g., in thecontext of online speed dating, for calendaring activities, for matchingmore generally, etc.).

Note that in certain example implementations, the calendar and/or speeddating functions outlined herein, such as those carried out bycommunication broker 34, web server 16, website 22, and/or provided asan application for an endpoint being operated by an end user, may beimplemented by logic encoded in one or more non-transitory, tangiblemedia (e.g., embedded logic provided in an application specificintegrated circuit (“ASIC”), digital signal processor (“DSP”)instructions, software (potentially inclusive of object code and sourcecode) to be executed by a processor, or other similar machine, etc.). Insome of these instances, a memory, as shown in FIG. 1, can store dataused for the operations described herein. This includes the memory beingable to store software, logic, code, or processor instructions that areexecuted to carry out the activities described in this Specification.

A processor can execute any type of instructions associated with thedata to achieve the communication coordination, speed dating, and/orcalendaring functions detailed herein in this Specification. In oneexample, the processor, as shown in FIG. 1, could transform an elementor an article (e.g., data) from one state or thing to another state orthing. In another example, the communication coordination, speed dating,and/or calendaring activities outlined herein may be implemented withfixed logic or programmable logic (e.g., software/computer instructionsexecuted by a processor) and the elements identified herein could besome type of a programmable processor, programmable digital logic (e.g.,a field programmable gate array (“FPGA”), an erasable programmable readonly memory (“EPROM”), an electrically erasable programmable ROM(“EEPROM”)) or an ASIC that includes digital logic, software, code,electronic instructions, or any suitable combination thereof.

Communication broker 34, web server 16, and/or website 22 illustratedherein may maintain information in any suitable memory (random accessmemory (“RAM”), ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, ASIC, etc.), software, hardware, orin any other suitable component, device, element, or object whereappropriate and based on particular needs. Any of the memory itemsdiscussed herein should be construed as being encompassed within thebroad term “memory.” Similarly, any of the potential processingelements, modules, and machines described in this Specification shouldbe construed as being encompassed within the broad term “processor.”Each of the network elements can also include suitable interfaces forreceiving, transmitting, and/or otherwise communicating data orinformation in a network environment.

Note that with the example provided above, as well as numerous otherexamples provided herein, interaction may be described in terms of morethan one network element. However, this has been done for purposes ofclarity and example only. In certain cases, it may be easier to describeone or more of the functionalities of a given set of flows by onlyreferencing a limited number of network elements. It should beappreciated that system 10 (and its teachings) are readily scalable andcan accommodate a large number of components, as well as morecomplicated/sophisticated arrangements and configurations. Accordingly,the examples provided should not limit the scope or inhibit the broadteachings of system 10 as potentially applied to a myriad of otherarchitectures.

Additionally, although the current disclosure has been illustrated incertain environments (e.g., a SIP environment), it is not so limited tosuch environments. For example, the present disclosure could beapplicable to any network protocol that can facilitate communicationsbetween two endpoints. This can include Skype technology, voice-over-IP(VoIP) technology, proprietary protocols developed for particularwebsites, platforms, etc., Telepresence protocols, WebEx protocols,multimedia protocols, or any other suitable protocol.

It is also important to note that the steps in the preceding flowdiagrams illustrate only some of the possible signaling scenarios andpatterns that may be executed by, or within, system 10. Some of thesesteps may be deleted or removed where appropriate, or these steps may bemodified or changed considerably without departing from the scope of thepresent disclosure. In addition, a number of these operations have beendescribed as being executed concurrently with, or in parallel to, one ormore additional operations. However, the timing of these operations maybe altered considerably. The preceding operational flows have beenoffered for purposes of example and discussion. Substantial flexibilityis provided by system 10 in that any suitable arrangements,chronologies, configurations, and timing mechanisms may be providedwithout departing from the teachings of the present disclosure. Althoughthe present disclosure has been described in detail with reference toparticular arrangements and configurations, these example configurationsand arrangements may be changed significantly without departing from thescope of the present disclosure.

Numerous other changes, substitutions, variations, alterations, andmodifications may be ascertained to one skilled in the art and it isintended that the present disclosure encompass all such changes,substitutions, variations, alterations, and modifications as fallingwithin the scope of the appended claims. In order to assist the UnitedStates Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and, additionally, anyreaders of any patent issued on this application in interpreting theclaims appended hereto, Applicant wishes to note that the Applicant: (a)does not intend any of the appended claims to invoke paragraph six (6)of 35 U.S.C. section 112 as it exists on the date of the filing hereofunless the words “means for” or “step for” are specifically used in theparticular claims; and (b) does not intend, by any statement in thespecification, to limit this disclosure in any way that is not otherwisereflected in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method, comprising: receiving a request at acommunication broker for a communication session to involve a firstendpoint and a second endpoint, wherein the communication brokerincludes a processor and a memory element; evaluating first calendarinformation for a first end user associated with the first endpoint andsecond calendar information for a second end user associated with thesecond endpoint; reconciling the first calendar information with thesecond calendar information to provide a time slot for the communicationsession; and mapping first end user data to a first identity associatedwith the first end user, wherein the second endpoint is shown the firstidentity, and wherein the first end user data associated with the firstendpoint is hidden from being shown to the second endpoint.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the first identity is associated with a username assigned by a fee-based matching service, and wherein the user nameis shown to a plurality of end users in an online community associatedwith the fee-based matching service.
 3. The method of claim 1, whereinthe first end user data to be hidden includes a selected one of a groupof elements, the group consisting of: a) an e-mail address associatedwith the first end user; b) a phone number associated with the first enduser; c) an Internet protocol (IP) address associated with the first enduser; d) an endpoint identifier associated with the first endpoint; ande) a location associated with the first end user.
 4. The method of claim1, further comprising: mapping second end user data to a second identityassociated with the second end user, wherein the first endpoint is shownthe second identity, and wherein the second end user data associatedwith the second endpoint is hidden from being shown to the firstendpoint.
 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: rendering asingle aggregated calendar to the first endpoint, wherein the aggregatedcalendar displays calendar availability data associated with the firstend user and the second end user.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein thecommunication broker is to establish a first network connectionassociated with the first endpoint and a second network connectionassociated with second endpoint at the time slot.
 7. The method of claim1, wherein the communication session is a selected one of a group ofcommunication session types, the group consisting of: a) a videosession; b) a voice call; c) a Skype call; d) a voice over Internetprotocol (VoIP) call; e) a short messaging service (SMS) session; f) anemail; and g) a texting session.
 8. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: accessing a first profile associated with the first enduser, wherein the first profile includes the first calendar information.9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first endpoint is a selected oneof a group of endpoints, the group consisting of: a) a personalcomputer; b) a laptop computer; c) a smartphone; d) a personal digitalassistant; e) an Internet Protocol (IP) telephone; and f) a tabletcomputer.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein certain content input bythe first end user onto a first calendar associated with the first enduser is prohibited from being shown to other users belonging to anonline community to which the first end user is a part.
 11. The methodof claim 1, wherein the request is associated with a previousspeed-dating event associated with an online community that subscribesto a fee-based matching service.
 12. The method of claim 1, wherein thetime slot is designated for a particular time interval that iscorrelated to a bandwidth characteristic for the communication session.13. The method of claim 1, wherein a session initiation protocol (SIP)is used in order to retrieve presence data associated with the first enduser.
 14. The method of claim 1, wherein business rules are used inorder to determine whether the communication session should be permittedbetween the first end user and the second end user, and wherein at leastone of the business rules involves verifying whether the first end userand the second end user have paid a certain fee associated with amatching service.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one ofthe business rules verifies whether a block has been placed on either ofthe first end user or the second end user, and wherein the block isassociated with prohibiting certain communications.
 16. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising: prompting the second endpoint to respond tothe request in order to initiate the communication session.
 17. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the communication broker provides at leastone piece of software to the first endpoint to facilitate thecommunication session.
 18. The method of claim 1, wherein the firstcalendar information is provided in a first profile associated with thefirst end user, and wherein at least a portion of the profile isavailable to be viewed by a plurality of end users in an onlinecommunity associated with a fee-based matching service.
 19. Acommunication broker, comprising: a processor and a memory element,wherein the communication broker is configured to: receive a request fora communication session to involve a first endpoint and a secondendpoint; evaluate first calendar information for a first end userassociated with the first endpoint and second calendar information for asecond end user associated with the second endpoint; reconcile the firstcalendar information with the second calendar information to provide atime slot for the communication session; and map first end user data toa first identity associated with the first end user, wherein the secondendpoint is shown the first identity, and wherein the first end userdata associated with the first endpoint is hidden from being shown tothe second endpoint.
 20. Logic encoded in one or more non-transitorytangible media that includes code for execution and when executed by aprocessor is operable to perform operations comprising: receiving arequest at a communication broker for a communication session to involvea first endpoint and a second endpoint, wherein the communication brokerincludes a processor and a memory element; evaluating first calendarinformation for a first end user associated with the first endpoint andsecond calendar information for a second end user associated with thesecond endpoint; reconciling the first calendar information with thesecond calendar information to provide a time slot for the communicationsession; and mapping first end user data to a first identity associatedwith the first end user, wherein the second endpoint is shown the firstidentity, and wherein the first end user data associated with the firstendpoint is hidden from being shown to the second endpoint.